Behind Jack in the Box’s push into collectibles

Would you purchase a meal for a collectible? Or wake up early to stake out a coffee shop for a limited-edition cup? Or stand in line for hours to get a pastel-colored grocery bag?

Whether it’s Starbucks and its Bearista cup, Trader Joe’s and its coveted tote bags, or even movie theaters with specialty popcorn buckets, brands are increasingly betting that creating collectibles can get consumers in the door. Sometimes collectibles come in the form of a blind box, where the buyer doesn’t know what they’re getting until they open it, while other times, the item is publicized as a limited release to create a sense of scarcity—and, likely, high resale value.

This year, the fast-food chain Jack in the Box, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary, is joining in on the collectibles craze. The QSR chain’s new line of collectible items, including glass Jack Sipper Cups shaped like its brand mascot, pins, and Labubu-like Jibbis bag charms, were inspired by a nostalgic collectible item it used to offer: an antenna topper featuring its mascot that was first distributed in the ’90s, Sheena Dougher, VP of brand marketing at Jack in the Box, told us.

For the brand, the offerings go beyond celebrating its anniversary. Dougher said the collectibles provide a way to meet changing guest expectations as “the value equation shifts” between brands and consumers.

“People want more for their money, and it goes beyond the food,” Dougher said. “They want experiences from brands.”

Expected experience

The latest iteration of collectibles, the second edition of the Jibbis, rolled out earlier this summer as a companion to Jack in the Box’s Philly cheesesteak Munchie Meal. So far, the collectibles, which have also included antenna balls as “a nod back to the original,” have come as a gift with the purchase of one of the meals as the chain has looked to “elevate” the offering, Dougher said.

That said, the chain has also started to experiment with “actual solo purchases of the items.”

Dougher said the collectibles help to provide an experience that customers “not only want but they’re starting to expect;” the sweet spot, she added, is when the chain can make finding collectibles into “a game where you’re on the hunt to collect” all of them, or make something “extra rare” that “makes people so excited about these and why it was really important for us to be part of.”

For marketers, there can be other perks, too, whether that’s appealing to the growing “kidult” audience looking for an experience that reminds them of their childhoods, or tapping into little-treat culture popular among Gen Z. Another plus of the growing love of branded collectibles is the content creation that can come out of it: when a brand creates collectibles, there’s a chance that consumers will take photos and videos, whether it’s an official unboxing or just showing off the item on social media.

“At the end of the day, you’re gonna get all this content from nano [influencers] and micros [influencers],” Danielle Wiley, founder and CEO of Sway Group, told us.

That’s been the case for Jack in the Box and its Labubu-like Jibbis in particular. Fans of the charms have posted about seeking out the ones they’re missing, complete sets, and potential menu hacks to help with collecting.

While virality isn’t a guarantee, those posts can go a long way for brands looking to cut through the noise, Wiley told us.

“I think anyone who can jump into this is going to because all these brands need just so much content right now,” she said. “You’re gonna get content from doing that.”